Door



Nov. 29, 1932.

F. v. COOPER 1,889,638

DOOR

Filed Jan. 22, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l Van 1 'lll A tlorney Nov. 2-9,1932. v COOPER 1,889,638

DOOR

Filed Jan. 22, 1951 4sheets-s'het 2 Invenor Bymw@ A Harney NOV. 29,1932. F, v COOPER 1,889,638

DOOR

Filed Jan. 22, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 A Homey Nov. 29, 1932. F. v. COOPERDooR liSheecs-Sheet 4 V IM Filed Jan. 22. 1931 Invenor 777106Z bo/ef'f 1@Mao/@2M A Homey Patented Nov. 29, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEApplication led January 22, 1931. Serial No. 510,568.

The present invention relates to improvements in door construction andmore particularly to doors of the overhead type and as for an importantobject to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a doorconstruction embodying a novel arrangement of parts whereby the door maybe expeditiously moved to its (fiipen or closed position with a minimumof e ort.

Other objects of the invention are to'provide a door of the characterdescribed which will be simple in construction, strong, durable,efficient and reliable in operation and which may be manufactured andinstalled at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further ob- 'ects and advantages of theinvention may become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and wherein v Figure 1 is a view inelevation looking at the outer side of a door constructed in accordancewith this invention, said door being in closed position.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on theline 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fi re 3 is a. view in elevation looking at the oor from the inner sidethereof and showing the same in closed position.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line4 4 of Figure 1 looking downwardly, as indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical section through a lowerportion of the door.

Figure 6 is a detail view in vertical crosssection taken substantiallyon the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a detail view in elevation showing the pulley wheel and itssupporting bracket, a pair of which are used and over which are trainedthe counterweight cables.

Figure 8 is a detail view in section through one of the door guiderollers.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the referencenumeral 1 designates a door frame and said frame includes the verticalstrips 2 having their inner edges spaced from the inner edges of thestuds 3.

The reference numeral 4 designates generally a pair of tracks, saidtracks being formed of angle iron and each comprising a horizontal leg5, a vertical leg 6 secured to the opposed sides of the studs 3 whichare free of the strips 2. Each of the tracks 4 further includes anarcuate connecting or intermediate portion 7. The leg portions 5 and 6of each track 4 are straight and the leg portions 5 extend above thebeams 8 which form a part of the ceiling 9 of the building. The ceiling9 of the building is, of course, provided with an opening, as at l0 forthe passage of the tracks, and the door.`I

The side of the horizontal leg 6 of each track 4 which is free of thestuds 3 is disposed in opposed, spaced relation to the inner edge of theadjacent strip 2 and, in conjunction with said strip 2 provides avertical channel, as best seen in Figure 4 of the drawings. The channelsthus provided on opposite sides of the doorway slidably receive the endportions of the horizontal sections 11 of the door which is designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 12. The sections 11 are pivotallyconnected together by the hinge straps 13 which are secured theretoadjacentY the ends thereof but in spaced relation to said ends. Asillustrated to advantage in Fi ure 2 of the drawings, the upper portioncfg the hinge strap on the uppermost of the sections 11 is bent as at 14to provide a cam, the purpose of which will be presently set forth. Eachof the door sections 11 is recessed in its upper portion, as at 15, forthe reception of the depending tongues 16 of the superjacent section forproviding a substantially weatherproof joint between the sections. Thelower edge of 'the lowermost section is provided with a weatherstrip 17which is secnred thereon by a binding strip 17', as illustrated toadvantage in Figure 5 of the drawin The inner edges of the strips 2 andalso of t e cross member 18 of the door frame have secured thereto aweather strip 19 of suitable material for engagement by the door 12.

The inner flanges of the tracks 4 have mounted thereon the spacedbrackets 20 (see Figure. 6) upon which are journaled the rollers 21having their periphery projecting beyond said inner flanges of thetracks 4 for engagement with the sections 11 of the door 12. The doorsections 11 have mounted thereon between the hinge straps 13 and theends of said sections the strips 22 of suitable exible material withwhich the rollers 21 contact.

Angular arms 23 are rigidly mounted on the inner side of the lowermostsection 11 and extends therefrom to a point adjacent the remote sides ofthe studs 3, said arms having an eye on their free ends with which oneend of the adjacent cables 24 is connected. The cables 24 are trainedover the pulley wheels 25 which are journaled in supporting bracketswhich, in turn, are secured to the building. The cables 24 have theirother ends connected to the trains of vertically spaced counterweights27 which are secured by flexible cables 28 the pulley wheels 25 havegrooved peripheries for receiving the cables A comparatively large guideroller 29 and a comparatively small guide roller 30 are disposed forrotation adjacent the arcuate intermediate portions 7 of the tracks 4 inthe manner illustrated to advantage in Figure 2 of the drawings. As bestseen in Figure 8 of the drawings, the periphery of each of the guiderollers is provided with a suitable cushion 31 for contact with thedoor. Arms 32 extend laterally from the tracks 4 adjacent the top of thedoor frame for engagement with the cam portions 14 of theuppermosthinged straps 13 in a manner to engage the uppermost doorsection l1 against the weather strip 19 which is mounted on the inneredge of the upper cross member 18 of the door frame. Certain of the doorsections 11 may, if desired, be provided with windows 33 which may be ofany shape and dimensions.

In operation, the door may be raised in an obvious manner from thevertical portion 6 of the tracks 4 to the upper horizontal portions 5 ofsaid tracks, the door traveling on the rollers 21 to reduce frictionwith the tracks 4. The guide rollers 29 and 30 will cause the sectionsof the door 12 to follow substantially the curvature of the portions 7of the tracks and will prevent buckling of the sections. As the door israised the counterweights 27 successively come to rest on the ground orother supporting surface to progressively decrease the Weight on thecables 2 4. As hereinbefore stated, the arms 32'engage the cam portions14 for pressing the uppermost door section 11 against the weather strip19 of the upper cross member 18 of the door frame. A handle 35 may beprovided on the lowermost door section 11 to facilitate raising andlowering the door.

It is believed that the many advantages of a door constructed inaccordance with this invention will be readily understood, and althoughthe preferred embodiment of the invention is as illust-rated anddescribed, it is to be understood that changes in the details ofconstruction may be had which will fall within the scope of theinvention as claimed.

What is claimed is A structure of the class described comprising, incombination, a door frame, including side members, a pair of angleirons, tracks having vertical portions secured to the frame and formingwith the inner edges of said side members, channels and said trackshaving horizontal portions extending substantially at right angles tothe door frame and intermediate arcuate portions connecting tliehorizontal portions to the vertical portions, rollers carried by thearcuate and horizontal portions for supporting a door in spaced relationfrom said track portion, a door mounted for travel on the tracks andcomprising a plurality of horizontally disposed sections, the ends ofthe sections fitting in the channels when the door is in closedposition` guide rollers adjacent the arcuate track parts for directingthe door sections upon the arcuate parts during movement of the door`hinge straps secured to the door sections adjacent the ends thereof,pivotally connecting said sections together, each strap extendingentirely across the section with its ends pivoted to the straps ofadjacent sections, the upper ends of the straps on the topmost sectionbeing bent outwardly to form cams, and projections at the upper ends ofthe vertical por- A tions of the tracks for engaging said cams forforcing the topmost section against the top of the door frame, pulleyslocated above the vertical track parts, cables passing over said pulleysand each having one end connected to the lowermost door section. andweights on the other ends of said cables.

In testimony whereof l aflix mv signature.

FRED V. COPER..

